DOH: Another Suspected Case Of Acute Flaccid Myelitis In Mass., 5 Total

CBS (CBS) — The Massachusetts Department of Health is investigating another suspected case of Acute Flaccid Myelitis in the state. There are five suspected cases of the polio-like disease, and another two cases have been confirmed.

Acute flaccid myelitis is a rare but serious condition that affects the nervous system. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it focuses on “the area of the spinal cord called gray matter, and the muscles and reflexes in the body become weak.”

Most of the cases have been in children, said the CDC.

Symptoms include arm and leg weakness, loss of muscle tone and reflexes, in addition to facial drooping or weakness, difficulty moving the eyes, drooping eyelids, difficulty with swallowing or slurred speech.